Sleeping With Ghosts
by Lost-Remembrance
Summary: After the defeat of Creed and Eden, Train sets off on his own and leaves Sven and Eve. However, a mysterious illness plagues him… Train's body is failing after the fateful night in the mountains. Set after the events of one shot "In Your Mind".
1. Chapter 1

Summary: After the defeat of Creed and Eden, Train sets off on his own and leaves Sven and Eve. However, a mysterious illness plagues him… Train's body is failing after the fateful night in the mountains. Set after the events of one shot "In Your Mind".

Warnings: Sequel! It may help to read "In Your Mind" first. Oh, and as typical with my stories: angst, blood/gore, etc.

Dedication: To DolphingirlKurama, first reviewer to "In Your Mind", and Placebo for their version of "Running Up That Hill". "Sleeping with Ghosts" and "Running up that Hill" were the soundtrack songs for those who might want to listen to it while reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat or any of the characters. I also don't own the title of the story, a song by Placebo. This story also includes quotes from the song, in italics and bolded. The inspiration came from Placebo's version however. The ending quote is from Placebo's "Sleeping with Ghosts".

**Sleeping with Ghosts**

By: Lost-Remembrance (Red Tail)

Chapter One:

Train hacked into his hand, waking from his relatively peaceful slumber sharply. The metallic tang of blood made him gag. In the faint moonlight shining through his hotel window, he looked solemnly at his hand. He closed his eyes wearily at the sight, wiping his hands on a nearby piece of white linen.

Hopefully the maids wouldn't have a heart attack at the blood-smeared cloth.

Gingerly, he raised his aching bones to rest against his hot, clammy forehead. A sharp pang of emotion stabbed at his heart, making him long for companionship; someone to wipe a cool wash cloth against his burning skin. A small smile fluttered across his face as he remembered Eve, nursing him back to health after his showdown with Creed.

He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. His eyes glazed over, showing his far away thoughts. 'I wonder how Sven and Eve are doing anyhow…' He let out a small sigh, 'Hopefully they remember me.' He turned over on his side, facing away from the window and small chair beside it.

"Hi Train."

Train froze. He shut his eyes slowly.

"When are you going to stop ignoring me?" The soft, womanly voice whispered. His body may be falling apart, but that didn't mean his senses were so dull he knew who and where _she _was. After all, she had begun haunting him almost since the first dizzy spell and bloody cough.

"Saya." He whispered, clenching his eyes shut, feeling the prickling sting of salty tears behind his eyelids. "What do you want?" He whispered quietly. "I have a busy day ahead of me."

He felt her soft hand fall onto his arm. He still did not turn to look at her. "I know." He heard her take a small breath, as if preparing herself to say something. "You better hurry, Train." The brunet bit his lower lip, chest aching as the urge to cough grew greater. "You don't have much time." Her voice resonated in his head.

Inhaling sharply, his eyes flew open as he grabbed the nearby cloth and cough into it for a good five minutes. Finally, he pulled away panting, face pale and ears buzzing. A thin line of blood trailed down the corner of his mouth and he quickly wiped it away.

He took long calming breaths to slow his racing heart. Wearily, he blinked at his surroundings. Saya was gone again. He closed his eyes, knowing that she wasn't even there to begin with.

"It's getting worse…" He mumbled quietly to himself.

Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his hair. Slowly, he got up from his messy bed. He grabbed his few possessions and put them into a worn duffle. He tossed the bloody linen into the trash bin. Pulling out a small wad of crumpled bills, he placed them on the nightstand and took his leave.

Another sleepless night would only bring him that much closer to his intended destination, to Sven and Eve.

To Be Continued

"_**It **__**doesn't hurt me. You wanna feel how it feels."**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

"_**You… You and me…"**_

Sven looked up from his second cup of coffee, slowly feeling the residue of slumber leaving his bones. He put his cigarette on the saucer, taking a sip with a content sigh. This winter hadn't been kind to his aging body. Of course it hadn't helped that it was a record winter, colder and icier than any in the past six years.

Thumps and bangs erupted from upstairs. "Sven!" Eve called down from her room, "Have you seen my uniform?" More thumps sounded. "Oh… Nevermind!" She called back down to the older man.

Sven felt a smile pull at his lips. Over the past two years Eve had blossomed into a normal teenager. She grew slightly more outgoing as her group of friends expanded from school. Without the threat of being used as a weapon as she slowly mastered her abilities, Eve pulled away from the safe, protected shell she built around herself. The environment also enhanced this change, as she surrounded herself with professors and other intellectuals. It helped that she now could have conversations revolving around books with others just as eager as she.

Said blonde came down the stairs, blushing slightly at the ruckus she caused. "Good morning."

"Ready for your first day?" He grinned, glancing up at his newspaper.

Eve showed a small smile. "Yes. I've already done all my homework assigned over break." She snatched a piece of buttered toast from his nearby plate and swung her bag over her shoulders.

"Hey!" Sven protested, a pouting look sliding over his gruff features.

"I don't have enough time to make my own breakfast!" She hurried to the door. "I'm going to go and check out the bounty posters after school today." The door was already closing when Sven wished her a good day and to be careful.

The elder man shook his head. "I hope I don't have to deal with those rumored hormonal teenage years…" He wondered aloud. Blinking his eyes, his thoughts snapped back to his tasks for the day. 'I'll leave Eve to scope out the bounty posters and find a good one for me as well. She always does. So… that leaves supplies and groceries.' He groaned aloud at the thought.

"Hm. I suppose groceries can wait. There's a market in town today…maybe they'll have some good supplies." With his day planned out, Sven turned back to his newspaper and cup of coffee.

For some reason, he couldn't help but feel antsy; as if something important was happening today or that he had forgot something. Sven frowned, turning to his empty cup of coffee as if it was to blame for his dilemma.

"Whatever." He grumbled, grabbing the empty cup and putting it in the sink, mentally reminding himself to wash the dishes before Eve came back.

"Off to town." He grabbed his hat and attaché case, heading out the door and locking it tightly behind him.

…

Town square was bustling even more than usual, partially to blame due to the market that shut down the entire main street. Children too young to be in school were laughing and playing with each other. It was these very children that would later cause a domino of events to unfold.

Sven had been perusing the many vendors, picking up snacks to munch on while looking for any essential items that might help in his more steady Sweeper jobs. No longer being picky on the big bounties and simply capturing more criminals worked to a better advantage for him—both in sharpening his skills and to his wallet.

It happened when Sven was at an apothecary-esque stall. He had been leaning over, looking at the different vials made of strange, interesting compounds and the simple based items that would be good for making up new mechanisms for his attaché case. Some little brats had stolen something from a nearby vendor. Taking their prize, they ran and pushed and shoved anyone or thing out of their way and to impede any pursuers. Sven happened to be turning around just as they shoved a cart out of the way.

They crashed into him, but with the help of some other brats, they pulled the fallen away from the fray and continued racing off towards their destination. Sven had fallen over slightly from the impact, leaning forward, but managed to catch himself last minute. Somehow his eyepatch had been jostled during the brief scuffle.

It fell to the ground. Sven's eye opened involuntarily. He looked up.

_Everything was multicolor. There. The familiar mop of brunette hair. Even if it had grown slightly, or seemed to have less luster to it, Sven would know that person—that aura he had—from anywhere._

'_Train!'_

He blinked, pulled himself out from the future. He looked up, searching for that person he saw in the not-so-distant future. His eyes widened.

"Train!" The person stopped, as if surprised. A path seemed to form around the milling people, leading right to that person. Sven's feet slowly led him closer to his old companion. The other man turned, shocked amber-golden eyes meeting Sven's own ruby eyes.

Train Heartnet had finally come home.

To Be Continued

"_**You don't want to hurt me. But see how deep the bullet lies…"**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

"_**You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me…"**_

Train and Sven relaxed at his house after the shock of the meeting, swapping of stories, and recounting tales of basically everything that occurred from the time their little family disbanded to their unexpected reunion. Eve still hadn't returned yet. Sven reminded himself not to worry; that she was off to one of the Sweeper bars to get an eye for any good bounty.

"Train…" Sven paused, unsure of how to approach the subject. "Are you sure that you're okay?" He gruffly asked, "I mean, you seem kind of… off?" He frowned, trying to find the words to say. "Well, you know… pale, thin, sick."

Train blinked, not realizing that his condition was that obvious considering he hadn't hacked once. The fresh mountain air surrounding Sven's cabin seemed to be doing him good—surprising considering it was mountain air, though it was contaminated, that did this to him.

"Yeah…" Train replied, unsure of how to approach the subject. He certainly didn't want to have to repeat it for the Princess. He simply wanted to see his friends again, to remember the good days, and remember what it felt like to be loved and to have a family.

"I'm home!" Eve announced, opening the door as she made her way to the kitchen where Train and Sven were, drinking milk and coffee respectively. She halted in her steps upon seeing their visitor, book bag and some rumpled sheets—bounty sheets—in hand.

"Train?" She whispered, joy and disbelief briefly shimmering in her maroon-colored eyes.

The former Number stood with a smile. "Heya, Princess!" Though his whole manner seemed more subdued than she remembered of his flamboyant, yet at times deadly, personality, but he was just as she remembered otherwise. A small smile crossed her face.

Train seemed surprised as she drew him in to a small hug. Despite them being rivals for Sven's attention, Eve soon realized after Train left that he was the caring, annoying older brother in her family. She missed him dearly.

She pulled back, arms still encircled around his waist—did it seem thinner?—and looked up at him. "Where have you been?"

He grinned in that carefree manner she missed about him. "The better question is where _haven't_ I been, Princess! Man, the stories I could tell you!" He chuckled at the thought.

Eve let go of him and crossed her arms. Her face was solemn and expectant, pulling Train's heart at the familiarity of her deadpanned expression. "Well?"

"Been here and there, traveling around. Did some jobs as a Sweeper whenever I needed money. Mostly wanted to see the sights." Especially when the sickness kicked in.

Eve looked at her friend with concealed concern. Her eyes flickered briefly to Sven, in silent askance of his condition. Sven shook his head silently at her.

"Hey, hey, hey! I saw that!" Train chided the two, spinning around to see Sven, trying to appear innocent. "What's with this look between you two? Sharing something I don't know? Well what is it?" Sven picked up his coffee cup, taking a sip, "Has Sven _finally_ found a girl?" and promptly spit it out.

"Ew, Sveny-baby! These were clean clothes!" Train pouted.

Eve silently watched the display, shifting back to her more subdued personality. It allowed her to better assess situations she felt unsure about. 'Something is different about Train. He seems thinner, paler… and there's something in his eyes that makes me feel uncomfortable.' She frowned, tuning back into the two men's squabble.

"And what do you mean by "finally"?" Sven fumed. "I'll have you know that I could get a girl any time I wanted!"

Eve cleared her throat, instantly putting an end to the bickering. She took a seat at the table, the other two following suit.

Train still had a silly smile on his face until he suddenly paled and the smile dropped. Eve and Sven instantly looked at their friend with concern as he began hacking into his hand.

Eve got up quickly, getting a glass of water for him and a tissue at the sound of his wet cough.

Sven was also out of his chair, patting Train's back lightly as he hovered over his friend. Eve placed the glass on the table within his reach and the tissue next to it. She stood slightly away from him, close enough for help but far enough to give the pale man room to breathe.

Train stopped coughing, taking deep and audible breaths. Slowly, he withdrew the hand he used to cover his mouth with. Sven and Eve both stiffened, eyes growing wider when they took in the flecks of blood speckling Train's palm, and the thin drops of splattered blood near his lips.

His breathing was still heavy as he took the tissue and wiped himself down. Then, slowly, he took a sip of the glass of water. His two observers were still in stunned silence. The entire time he kept his eyes down.

"Sorry about that guys." Train hoarsely said. He finally raised his eyes. Saya was staring at him, silent for once. Sorrow was evident on her face and it tugged at his heartstrings. Sadness was an emotion unbecoming on the spirited woman's face. He turned his attention from her back to his alive friends.

"Train?" Sven quietly questioned.

"Sorry, the journey here must have worn me out more than I thought." Train grumbled, wishing he had his old stamina and wasn't slowly wasting away. "Well, to put it simply… I'm dying."

To Be Continued

"_**Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder…"**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"_**And if I only could, make a deal with God…"**_

Eve stared at Train, shocked to her core. Here, the invincible Train Heartnet, former infamous Number XIII, had proclaimed he was dying. And by what she just saw, he wasn't lying.

Sven's jaw dropped. "What?" He yelled, rounding on Train. "What do you mean you're dying? You don't just show up after two years and tell us you're _dying_."

Train looked away, guilt evident on his face. "Yeah… you know that time I landed in a coma from the mountain gas? Turns out it does more than that." Sven shook his head in disbelief.

"Train… how long have you known about this?" Eve asked during a lull in Sven's emotional outburst.

"About six months, give or take."

"Six months?" Sven yelled once again, collapsing into a nearby unoccupied chair. He slumped in it, resting his head in his palms.

"I went back to the village it happened it. I didn't want to create an uproar if there was a cure. After that, well… it took a while to get here. I couldn't take many jobs as a Sweeper unless they were small-fry, which made it that much longer." Train's eyes saddened and became distant. "I wanted to have more time… but," a sad small smile crossed his face, "I guess I'll take what I can get."

"Do you…" Sven struggled to force the words out of his mouth, "Do you know how long you have left?"

Train lowered his head to stare at his clasped hands. "The doctors estimated six months."

"Well, that's good! That's plenty of time!" Sven proclaimed, jumping from his chair and causing it to tumble backward. "We can contact Rinslet and I'll pull some strings, maybe give a call to Tearju and see if we can get her some of your blood—she's not a doctor but she's crazy smart, and…"

"Sven," Train interrupted. The sorrowful tone made his partner halt his words and pay attention to him. "That was how long the doctors thought I would have… when I saw them six months ago."

Eve jerked as if she had been slapped and turned on her heel, rushing up the stairs and into her room. She slammed it shut.

Sven seemed to fold in on himself as the reality of the situation sunk in on him. His friend and partner could die any day now, from something he thought was buried in the past. His shoulders slumped and he suddenly felt older than his actual age.

"I wish it didn't have to be like this." Train quietly said, "But I knew if I didn't tell you guys, somehow you'd figure out a way to bring me back just to kill me yourself."

Sven chuckled at that. "Damn right I would."

"And, I wanted to say my goodbyes. And be here, where I feel like home I suppose you could say." Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Saya smile at this statement.

Sven walked over to a nearby wooden cabinet and crouched down. "This calls for something stronger than coffee." He unlocked the cabinet, reaching in a pulling out two bottles of liquor—one whiskey and one scotch. He set them down on the table then turned to the refrigerator and pulled out two large half gallon bottles of milk. He turned to his companion with a loose grin. "Are you still as much of a cat as I remember?"

Train's eyes danced. "Haha! Now you're talking, Sveny-baby!" To which his friend rolled his eyes, both at the familiar antics and the nickname.

Sven poured himself a hearty glass of whiskey, wanting to feel the burn down his throat to drive away his thoughts.

Train popped the cap on one of the milk bottles, glancing towards the stairs, "Do you think Princess will be okay?"

Sven lowered his eyes. "Dunno. It was a shock for her to see you, and then you just come out and tell us that you're dying?" He slowly shook his head at the memory.

"If I had more time I would have eased into it better, but I want every moment I have with you guys to count."

Sven felt tears gather in his eyes. "Don't be saying your goodbyes to me yet, partner." Train just grinned and took a long draw of milk. "I'm gonna give Rins a call. She'll be upset if she doesn't know… and she'll be wanting to see you." Train nodded his head at that.

Silence fell between the two as they drank their poisons, each pondering and dreading what the future would bring.

To Be Continued

"_**Hush, it's okay, dry your eye…"**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

"_**You… you and me won't be unhappy…"**_

Sven had taken to spiking his coffee with a bit of vodka, more and more each day as he watched Train waste away before his eyes. Granted, the Black Cat hid his illness very well, but not well enough for Sven and Eve to not see.

Eventually, Train found out about his new little habit and sat him down for a talk after dumping all the vodka in the house. "I didn't come here to have you drink away your sorrows, Sven. I know it was selfish of me… I didn't want to see you watch me fade away." He looked towards the window. Watching his intent gaze, Sven found himself also looking at the window to see what had caught his eyes. Nothing other than the forest scenery outside met his gaze.

Train turned his attention away from Saya. He gave a smile, a true smile at Sven. "I'll miss you, and I hope you'll miss me. But don't…" he gestured with his hands at the last spiked coffee in the house. "You know. Think of it as an extended vacation—as if I never came back to stay with you guys. I'll be out there, roaming the world."

"Train, you're going to _die._" Sven rasped out, taking another sip of his coffee to clear away the sudden lump in his throat.

"Well, I've got something to look forward to." His gaze shifted back to the window before fixing on Sven again.

Sven frowned before understanding made his eyes widen. Then, he let out a small sad smile of his own and nodded.

"Promise me that you won't let anything happen to Princess, or let her get to wrapped up in this. I don't wanna throw a roadblock in any of your plans. Just keep gettin' those bad guys for me—as a Sweeper."

Sven smiled at the memory.

So here they were now. Eve was outside the door, fussing around with odds and ends before coming back into the room once more. Her face was stoic, but her body was tense with nervous energy. Sven was slumped in a chair. Train was resting in his bed, the same he recovered in after Saya's murder. A bloody rag was resting on the bedside table, evidence of his latest coughing bout.

Sven snorted at the thought. 'Full circle. So this is how it all ends?' Sven took a different cloth and wiped Train's sweaty pale face. He heard rather than saw Eve pull another chair into the room and collapse into it.

The hours passed by, until Train's violent coughing and wheezes turned into white noise for the other two occupants. Rinslet, having received the message about Train, was frantically traveling to Sven's house as fast as she could, praying she would be able to make it in time.

The nearby clock chimed eleven.

Train let out a sigh of breath; uncharacteristic given his bouts of coughing that lasted well into the night. Everything fell silent. Eve and Sven had already fallen prey to their exhaustion, passed out on the nearby bed and plush chair.

Train blinked his eyes open and raised his arms, noticing they felt eerily light considering how weary and heavy he had felt just… He frowned, not remembering how long it had been since he had woken so peacefully.

"Train." He turned, wondering how he had ended up in the corner of the room by the wide-open window. Saya was sitting there, a soft but sad smile on her face.

Sven let out a grunt, his head bobbing slightly. He jerked awake at the unexpected movement. "Huh…?" Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he turned his attention to the still figure on the bed. "Train?" He questioned. He leaned forward, his hands shaking as a sudden dread filled him. "Train!" He shouted this time, startling Eve from her sleep.

Train blinked from the other side of the room as he saw himself. He looked down at his hands, seeing their ethereal glow and opaque look. Sadness clutched his heart. "I died." The sobs and cries of Eve and Sven as they pleaded and shook his body shattered his control as a tear slid down his cheek.

"I didn't want it to be like this. I didn't want them to cry."

"I know Train. They cry because they love you." Saya whispered, wrapping her arms around his shaking form. "It had to happen sometime though." Her voice was laced with sadness as well. A drop of wetness hit his shoulder.

Train turned to face her. Saya let go of him and took a step back to give him space. He looked at her, everything else slowly fading from around him. Soon, he was standing in a white room with Sven and Eve crying far down the hallway.

He took a step toward her. "Are you real?"

Saya didn't reply for a moment, only giving him a smile. "Train," she softly said, smile still on her face, "I never wasn't real."

FIN

"_**Soul mates never die."**_

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the story despite the ending! Thanks to all readers and reviewers who have followed this story. Until the next adventure, auf Weidersehen! –Red Tail


End file.
